JOLLY DEATH

The cold hands of death burst open from the coffin of morbid ness,

Death stood before me…its hood poised at an angle to the earth.

The wind was cold and the wails of the past rattled me senseless,

Before I knew it Death enveloped me in its shroud, warmth was its dearth.

When I woke up, the walls were black and the floor was bright red,

“Arise my son”, said Death as he motioned to a throne on his right.

On his left I noticed a golden chest and a plate with a loaf of bread,

“The chest contains your soul”, said Death and he laughed with delight.

His laughter amused me and tickled me but I hid my smile,

“What is the bread for??” I asked with a sardonic grin.

“You get to eat it if you beat me….it will give you life”,

Death had given me hope; hope told me that I could win.

“If I ask you the reason for your sins…would you tell me honestly?

Do you blame yourself for them or do you say you were misled?

If your answer pleases me, I will grant you the bread in all surety

If you fail your soul will be sent to hell weighted down with lead”

I remained silent and stared at my feet…while Death waited for a reply,

The air grew tense as Death paced up and down his hood bobbing fiercely.

“Do you have an answer?”Death growled with an exhausted patience supply,

Silence was my answer as Death slowly sniggered as he staggered sloppily.

His staggering was due to his laughter as he doubled over cackling,

His cackling was surprisingly warm and his hood slipped off his head.

I looked Death in the face at last…the sight sent me and my throne reeling,

Death was a jolly old, round faced man who had his hair dyed bright red!!!!

Death had the merriest of eyes and a faced sharpened with lines of wisdom,

His laughter was mellow and rich…..something you associate life with….

“Silence was the correct answer…..you are now a part of life’s kingdom,

Silence depicts humility…the destroyer of blame…you have won kid!!”

“Silence shows that you accept your sins and that you were never misled,

For misled are those who choose to knowingly sin….your heart is clean.

Take the bread and bite into it my son…you rightfully deserve to be fed….

And never think of Death as an old grouch with a venomous spleen”

“I never punish people and deprive them of life because life is my best mate,

I let people realize that life has a cost for being beautiful and ugly.

The cost has to be paid by me as I account for all their sins and mistakes,

I get blamed the most for cutting life short but all I am fulfilling is my duty”

“Life has signed a contract with me and I think you know what it states,

I let those people go who know that Death is not to be blamed and cursed.

Because they accept me as a tax collector who collects taxes for life and fate,

They are the ones who do not crib and act as if their soul’s dam has burst”

“You are free to go my son…I enjoyed my time with you to the last bit,

Till we meet again,tell the world what I told you.Goodbye and khuda hafiz”

I snapped out of my sleep with a jerk and saw that my room was brightly lit,

The eyes that met mine were my beloved’s,I smiled and bubbled with an unknown fizz.